LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE is cancelled and we don't know why

It was rolling out to AT&T stores across America and reviews were in progress but LG has decided to stop selling the Watch Urbane Second Edition LTE. That's right, it's cancelled. Indefinitely. Someone messed up.

But why? This is a bit of a mystery. We know that the Watch Urbane 2 is a bold hardware effort from LG. It adds 3G and 4G coverage on the go, voice call and speaker functionality, a 348ppi display, bigger battery and multiple function buttons to what we've seen before on the Watch Urbane.

We can only guess that the hardware issues are related to either the tether-free calls and connections or else something else that would be a deal breaker like the screen or battery life.

Day-to-day functionality

Here's what LG actually had to say (via Android Police): "Late in the quality assurance process for the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE, our engineers were made aware of a hardware issue which affects the day-to-day functionality of the device.

"After further investigation, the decision was made to cancel the rollout of the Urbane 2nd Edition LTE due to the complicated nature of the issue."

As for if and when we will see the device hit shops again, LG stated that "this will be decided at a later time" which isn't particularly reassuring. AT&T is telling customers who have ordered an LG Watch Urbane 2 that they can either get a full refund or swap it for another smartwatch in its range due to a "quality" issue.

Still, there are some second gen Watch Urbanes in the wild with some buyers looking for some reassurance that it won't blow up on their wrists. One theory is that it's not a safety issue - or LG would have to disclose it - but in fact, operators like AT&T could be annoyed that users can buy the watch from them then use it with another network like T-Mobile. Curiouser and curiouser.

Marshmallow incoming

The Watch Urbane 2 is the first Android Wear watch to make use of the new untethered functionality of Google's smartwatch OS.

It's the first watch to use the new features that Android 6.0 Marshmallow brings to smartphones but the latest (vague) confirmation from Google says that the update will be coming over the air to existing smartwatches "in the coming months".

The SDK is now available to developers and the Android Marshmallow will also allow Intel x86 support (for the Tag Heuer Connected), speaker support (for playing audio files) and a new permissions model which lets you toggle exactly what each app has access to such as your location. Plus there's some extra gestures such as slowly turning your wrist away then flicking it back to pull down the settings menu.

9 Comments

20-Nov-2015 6:36 pm

kufelt says:

if this is because someone forgot to lock them to the carrier it would be ridiculous.

I have one already and i don't think i am going to return as it is working fine. There are bugs, blutooth headset problems being the major one, but i love it. Hopefully LG will support early adopters and will send updates or updated hardware to the owners of the cancelled batch

I do not understand why there is this push by Android phone makers to build round smart watches. They have fallen into the trap of considering those devices to be watches when they are not.

The smart watch is badly misnamed because it is not a watch. It is a wrist-worn adjunct to a smartphone and it has a myriad of functions, only one of which is to tell the time. Such a device needs a rectangular screen in order to display as much meaningful information possible on such a small screen.

Would you buy a smartphone with a round screen? Of course not - that would be stupid beyond belief and no company would ever build such a device. So why would you want a smart watch that mimics the form factor of a device based on ancient mechanical technology that essentially had to be round because it had hands that operated from a central axis?

I have an Apple Watch and although I am not an Apple Fanboi (I'm a PC consultant), the form factor of this device works because it is rectangular, but yet looks elegant enough to accompany formal wear.

Now that the aftermarket suppliers have started making really nice bracelets for the Apple Watch, I suggest that purchasers buy the cheapest model Apple Watch Sport because the guts of that device is exactly the same as the guts on the $24,000 model. Then buy a nice aftermarket leather band that can be snapped on in a couple of seconds - or even better, a stainless steel link band or Milanese steel band for around $40 instead of being ripped off for expensive bands by Apple.

I do not understand why there is this push by Android phone makers to build round smart watches. They have fallen into the trap of considering those devices to be watches when they are not.

The smart watch is badly misnamed because it is not a watch. It is a wrist-worn adjunct to a smartphone and it has a myriad of functions, only one of which is to tell the time. Such a device needs a rectangular screen in order to display as much meaningful information possible on such a small screen.

Would you buy a smartphone with a round screen? Of course not - that would be stupid beyond belief and no company would ever build such a device. So why would you want a smart watch that mimics the form factor of a device based on ancient mechanical technology that essentially had to be round because it had hands that operated from a central axis?

I have an Apple Watch and although I am not an Apple Fanboi (I'm a PC consultant), the form factor of this device works because it is rectangular, but yet looks elegant enough to accompany formal wear.

Now that the aftermarket suppliers have started making really nice bracelets for the Apple Watch, I suggest that purchasers buy the cheapest model Apple Watch Sport because the guts of that device is exactly the same as the guts on the $24,000 model. Then buy a nice aftermarket leather band that can be snapped on in a couple of seconds - or even better, a stainless steel link band or Milanese steel band for around $40 instead of being ripped off for expensive bands by Apple.

Well, consumers have different ways of approach. As a fashion item, it is obvious that many people prefer round over the rectangular. As a gadget, of course rectangular screen is more effective(screen is still tiny). I personally like Apple watch as a fashion item. Like you mentioned above, it's elegant enough but I DO NOT like its rectangular screen. If you ask me why then buy smart watches rather than traditional watches when wanting a fashion item? My answer is it's convenient but convenience is not my first priority.

It seems like your vision toward the smartch watches is more of technology to a certain degree(PC Consultant). Nowadays, Tech Giants like Apple, Samsung, LG, Moto are making smart watches. Tag Heuer, Breitling, Swatch, Movado are making smart watches. Boundaries between specilties are collapsing. Industries converge.

Round screen is wrong is wrong. This is not a multiple choice question. This is a more of a subjective question regarding personal taste.

Runcible is a new category of personal electronic which occupies a space between a traditional mobile phone and a wearable device. Featuring a first-of-its-kind fully round screen and a palm-sized form factor, Runcible is modeled on devices humans have carried around with them and loved for hundreds or thousands of years: the pocket watch, the compact, the compass, the magical stone in your hand.

I GOT A LG WATCH FROM BEST BUY FOR XMAS THEY DO NOT HAVE RECALLS FOR THE LG URBANE WATCH GOT A THREE YEAR REPLACEMENT PLAN FOR ANY ISSUES WITH THE WATCH .I LOVE IT AS IT CONTROLS MY SMARTPHONE WITHOUT LOOKING FOR IT OR TAKING IT OUT OF MY BELT HOLDER .I SUSPECT THE RECALL WITH THE WATCH IS SIMPLE BUY A WATCH FROM AT&T AND THEN GO TO T-MOBLIE AND HOOK YOUR WATCH THERE FOR THE MATTER I CAN CONNECT MY WATCH WITH ANY PHONE FROM ANY CARRIER AS LONG AS IT IS ANDROID. PLUS I DO NOT PAY FOR ANY PHONE CHARGES .IT IS THE SAME AS SAMSUNG GALAXY GEAR 2 .IF YOU WANT A WATCH AS A STAND ALONE CEL PHONE YOU CAN EXPECT TO PAY MORE ..IT WILL COST MORE NOTHING IS FREE .JUST LIKE THE 3G,4G TABLETS MY WATCH COST $300 LOOKS LIKE A EXPENSIVE WATCH JUST BY CHANGING THE DISPLAY.. ANSWERS ,SENDS MESSAGES ,ALL THE GOODIES ..NO PRIVACY ISSUES AS WATCH DOESN'T HAVE A CAMERA BUT I CAN TAKE PICS BY REMOTE WITH IT .GREAT WATCH ,GREAT PRICE WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT?